FALLING ON MY FACE AND GETTING BACK UP

Sometimes you have to take risks. You have to risk falling flat on your face and totally failing. And sometimes you literally fall right on your face.

I can speak from experience. Yesterday, I left yoga with a swollen, bloody lip, because I quite literally fell on my face while extending myself a little too far. The worst part was that it was during a pose that I had done so many times without much trouble. I don't know what happened. Maybe my concentration was off, maybe I was going too fast, and maybe I was just having an off-day.

But regardless, I now know exactly how it feels to fall flat on your face. As I started to taste blood, I immediately pictured the worst. What if I chipped a tooth?! I felt around my mouth with my tongue checking that all my teeth were still in place. I actually got up and left the yoga studio for a minute to make sure that everything was still there.

Here is what I was supposed to be doing:

Here is what happened: 

Here is how I felt: 

Moral of the story? So, I fell. But I picked myself up, recomposed myself and made sure that no one saw what had just happened. Sure, it hurt. I left with a cut up lip and bruised ego. But I will recover and so will my ego.

And next time that I step in that yoga studio, I am going to rock that crow pose.

So, the when you're having a bad day and everything seems to be going wrong, remember that everything is going to be okay. If you fall (literally or figuratively), pick yourself back up. Next time, you are going to be stronger, and you will remember what went wrong, so that you can do it differently the second time around.

You are stronger than you think. We all have off-days where everything seems to be going wrong and just gets a bit overwhelming. But there are better days ahead. Sometimes it takes literally falling on your face to remember that it could be worse. I could have severely chipped my front teeth. I could have left with a bloody or broken nose. I could have given up.

Some of the best advice I have ever gotten is to not take life too seriously. Instead of sulking in my failure, I laughed about it. I cleaned myself up and recognized that I could do better and I will do better.

If anything, imagine me falling on my face in the middle of a crowded yoga studio and maybe you'll get a little chuckle out of it.

PODCASTS YOU SHOULD BE LISTENING TO

Whether you're looking for something to listen to on your walk to class or commute to work, you need to check out these podcasts. Close iTunes and Spotify. And open up your Podcasts app. Before I found these podcasts, I spent most of my time listening to music. And I still spend a great deal of my time doing so. But in the last year, I have stumbled upon some truly great podcasts, and I realized that there is a lot of value in listening to these, too. 

For those of you who can pause the Hamilton soundtrack long enough to listen to something else, here are some podcasts you need to subscribe to. 

1. TED Radio Hour with Guy Raz

If you enjoy watching TED talks, this is the perfect podcast for you. My favorite radio host, Guy Raz, compiles portions of TED talks that all have a common theme each week. Guy interviews the speakers and adds in bits from their talks to, as TED puts it, share ideas worth spreading. 

2. How I Built This with Guy Raz

If you liked Guy Raz on TED Radio Hour, you have to check out How I Built This. Tune in to hear the stories behind the creation of businesses like Instagram, Spanx, Cliff Bars, and more. You wouldn't believe the amazing journeys these people went on to make their products successful. 

3. This Week in Tech (TWIT) with Leo Laporte

I came across TWIT because of a class that inspired me to stay up-to-date on the latest news in technology. Leo Laporte and guests will give you their two cents on the latest products and announcements in technology. With episodes that are around two hours or more, TWIT is definitely something you can put on in the background and pay attention to the parts that interest you most. 

4. Serial with Sarah Koenig

If you missed the hype over Serial last year, you should definitely still check this one out. Sarah Koenig digs deeper into the case of Adnan Syed, accused of murdering his high-school girlfriend, Hae Min Lee. 

The NPR website gives a more thorough description here. 

With these podcasts, I've turned a walk to class into a time to continue learning outside the classroom. I have been inspired by moving TED speakers. I have been motivated by persistent creators. I have been intrigued about the latest developments in technology. And I have been curious about what really happened to Hae Min Lee in Baltimore in 1999. 

Give these great shows a listen!